Good deeds and a last dance
by Cricket99
Summary: Steve is mourning. Loki is trying to help. Tony is just confused.  based on the film Thor and the 2011 film Captain America


Just a oneshot to get out there before I head off to Europe. Goes along with the timeline for Second Chances. Originally it was just a character study for Steve, but then Loki jumped in and Tony followed, so here you go! hopefully you like!

...

Peggy Carter was dead.

Steve knew that. He'd realized it moments after he woke up in the fake hospital room and was told he'd slept for sixty years. He'd known that he would never see her again, and he'd accepted it.

Sort of.

He needed closure, just like any normal person. So after the craziness of becoming a full fledged superhero and member of the avengers was over, Steve quietly pulled Nick Fury aside and asked if he couldn't route through some files.

Now, he wished he hadn't. The file had arrived during breakfast, and like an idiot he'd opened it at the table. Now, sitting in his hand, right next to Tony's famous omelet's and Thor's oversized coffee mug, as ordinary and innocuous as anything, was a file marked _Carter, Peggy._ Date of birth, record of service, and date of death. That was that.

Steve knew he should have expected it. He should notice that she was married, that she had two kids and died quietly at a ripe old age. He should smile sadly, shake his head and be quietly happy that she had a good life.

Instead, he stands abruptly – knocking over a chair – and trudges out of the room, cursing his body's inability to succumb to alcohol's numbing comfort.

Peggy Carter was dead.

….

It was Clint who broke the awkward silence after Steve exited in a dramatic fashion usually reserved for Thor after a fight with Loki.

"What did I miss here?"

Pepper slapped the archer on the shoulder, making a disapproving noise. "He just lost his…. Um. His girlfriend?"

Agent Coulson, who had delivered the package, nodded and absently took a sip of coffee. "Technically she died six years ago. But yes, the news is fresh."

"Oh."

The hush around the table was a sad one this time. Pepper suggested that they give the man some time to adjust, while Tony was much more in favor of taking him for a drink. After being informed that this course of action would do very little to help, they agreed to leave Steve to mourn however he wished.

Loki, who had been reading over Steve's shoulder, remained silent during the exchange, simply watching the doorway Captain America had so solemnly left through.

Seeing the pensive gaze, Thor gave his brother a quick look. He knew not to disturb the rather tense truce they had going at the moment, but he hoped Loki knew better than to take advantage of such a sensitive moment.

...

The door to Steve's room was open.

Tony was never sure how to respond to grief. He found people helped – so despite the whole not getting inebriated thing, he figured maybe Steve would like to sit and take a few shots with him. Maybe talk about this Peggy, whoever it was she'd been to him.

The Ironman stopped just inside the doorframe, unsure of how to react to the scene before him.

Music was playing. Classical jazz, something you'd dance to in the forties. Not surprising, considering the first occupant of the room had lived in that era.

It was the second occupant, or rather what he was doing, that was confusing, and a little worrying.

Steve Rogers was lying on the bed, fully dressed and in what appeared to be REM sleep, from the way his fingers curled and uncurled ever so slightly. And Loki, of all people, was perched up by the head of the bed, a bit like a cat, whispering something softly in the Captain's ear.

If it weren't the trickster god doing it, the action would have seemed almost comforting.

"Loki, what in the world are you - " Tony was cut off by a surprisingly strong hand over his mouth, not removed until the two of them where standing in the hallway, Steve's door firmly closed behind them.

The asgardian gave Stark one of his patent glares.

Tony ignored it. "What the _hell _were you doing in there?"

The glare dropped, replaced by a withering look that dared Tony suggest Loki would sink low enough to pull pranks on a man who was very obviously grieving.

"If you must know, he had a date. And I allowed him to attend."

"Attend?"

"He's dreaming about her. Saying his goodbyes. I assumed it would help him with …what do you all call it? Closure." Right. Loki was a god-slash-sorcerer thing. He could do that.

Tony wasn't exactly sure how to react. As ruling king of tact, he simply let an incredulous stare fall over his face and gaped.

"You – Loki Odinson – just did something nice?"

For his part, Loki allowed a tiny smile to tug at his lips before raising an eyebrow and grinning in full.

"And then I reprogrammed Jarvis to sing It's a Small World After All at each quarter hour."

On account of the good deed, Tony gave the trickster a five second head start before chasing him down the hallway, rather intent on wrenching that clever little grin off his face.

...

Because Loki can't let Tony think he was being 100% _nice_ or anything. Review and tell me what you think! :)


End file.
